Religion in Ethiopia

 The Rift Valley Institute and the Peace Research Facility published in 2023 a study titled "Religion in Contemporary Ethiopia: History, Politics and Inter-Religious Relations" by Jorg Haustein, Abduletif Kedir Idris, and Diego Maria Malara.  

Religion has made a political comeback in Ethiopia under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and is once again part of the political discourse.  Religious affiliation in Ethiopia is part of a multi-layered nexus incorporating ethnicity and other, secondary, social characteristics, such as occupation or class.

The study provides an overview of the politics of religion since the making of the modern Ethiopian nation state in the nineteenth century.  It surveys the four most important faith groups in Ethiopia--Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Protestantism/Pentecostalism, and traditional religions.  Finally, it explores inter-religious relations. 

Religion in Contemporary Ethiopia

 The Rift Valley Institute and the Peace Research Facility published on 29 May 2023 a study titled "Religion in Contemporary Ethiopia: History, Politics and Inter-Religious Relations" by Jorg Haustein, Abduletif Kedir Idris, and Diego Malara.  

Religion in Ethiopia has made a political comeback under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.  Religion is once again part of political discourse, whether it be in defining political constituencies, demarcating differences, or articulating visions of Ethiopian unity.  This 67-page review offers a comprehensive introduction to the current religious situation in Ethiopia.  

Podcast on Eritrea's Feud with Ethiopia's Tigray

 The International Crisis Group posted a 50-minute podcast with Michael Woldemariam, University of Maryland, titled "Eritrea's Long Bitter Feud with Ethiopia's Tigray" moderated by Alan Boswell.  

The podcast provides a background on the feud between the government of Eritrea and the TPLF leadership in Tigray Region.  Eritrea has dedicated significant forces to the Ethiopian central government effort to defeat Tigrayans in the civil war that broke out in 2020.  The immediate withdrawal of Eritrean forces from Ethiopia is essential to a successful end of the conflict.  At the same time, there needs to be a conversation about Eritrea's security concerns.  

Ethiopia: Will History Repeat Itself?

 The Conversation published on 21 November 2021 a commentary titled "Ethiopia's Civil War: Five Reasons Why History Won't Repeat Itself" by Tobias Hagmann, Roskilde University.  

The author says there are 5 reasons why the Abiy Ahmed government will not come to the same end as the Derg regime did in 1991:

--Abiy Ahmed's leadership is not deeply unpopular.

--The federal army is weaker and regional security forces are stronger.

--Political alliances are fragile.

--Eritrean forces backed the TPLF in 1991; now they back the central government.

--Tigrayan leaders are divided on the long-term future of their region.  

Ethiopia: A Way Forward for Amhara Nationalism

Ethiopia Insight posted on 1 September 2020 a commentary titled "Shaping Amhara Nationalism for a Better Ethiopia" by Zola Moges, who works on human rights for an international organization.

The author argues that for Amhara nationalism to make a meaningful contribution, it needs to clearly set out its main objectives and have a proper ideological fulcrum.  It should be built on pride, popular self-esteem, and love rather than hatred and resentment.  

Ethiopia: Is Tigray Heading towards Self-determination?

 Ethiopia Insight posted on 22 August 2020 a commentary titled "'Exit' Imminent as Abiy Neglects the Tigrayan 'Voice'" by Abraham Assefa.  

The author argues the policies of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his scapegoating of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front are driving Tigray Region towards "exit" or self-determination.  

Ethiopia: Two Book Reviews

The American Interest published in March 2020 two book reviews titled "The Long Ethiopian Century" by James Barnett, journalist covering East Africa.

The author reviewed two recent books about Ethiopia: The Wife's Tale: A Personal History by Aida Edemariam and The Shadow King: A Novel by Maaza Mengiste. The Wife's Tale is a personal history of the 97-year life of the author's Ethiopian grandmother. The Shadow King is a novel based on a female resistance fighter during the Italo-Ethiopian war.

Ethiopia: Looking Back on the Overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie

The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training at the Foreign Service Institute outside Washington published in October 2016 the oral history accounts of several American diplomats who served at the U.S. embassy in Addis Ababa in the period before and after the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974. The accounts are titled "Anatomy of an Overthrow: Why a Revered African Leader Was Toppled."

Ethiopia's Vanguard Capitalists

Foreign Affairs published on 26 May 2016 an article titled "Ethiopia's Vanguard Capitalists: How the EPRDF Mobilizes for Economic Development" by Toni Weis, Center for International Private Enterprise. The article looks at the development of Ethiopia's economy under the EPRDF and the role of party-owned companies.

Tafari Wossen's Feudal Childhood

The Rift Valley Institute published on 16 September 2013 a brief personal biography by Tafari Wossen, an Ethiopian journalist and founding editor of the Seven-Day Update, a weekly news review published in Addis Ababa.  The focus of the biography is his early childhood during the imperial and Derg governments.  

Blurb in recent book on Ethiopia and the U.S.

I was blurbed in the recent book Ethiopia and the United States: History, Diplomacy, and Analysis by Getachew Metaferia, professor of political science at Morgan State University. The book covers much of the same territory that I cover in the introduction to The 1903 Skinner Mission to Ethiopia & A Century of Ethiopian-American Relations. Here's what I said about the book in the blurb:

Getachew Metaferia’s book provides a most comprehensive history of American–Ethiopian relations over the past century. His account provides new insights on that history, the relationship during the Carter presidency, and on the role of the Ethiopian diaspora. It also offers the reader some provocative analyses, particularly of the post-Derg years.